Dive Brief:

• San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) and Southern California Edison (SoCal Ed) would be allowed to acquire up to 1,400 MW to replace the San Onofre nuclear plant, which was retired unexpectedly last summer, and the planned shutdown of coastal power plants, under a proposal by state regulators.
• Under the plan, SoCal Ed will acquire at least 400 MW of “preferred” resources like renewables, efficiency and energy storage. SDG&E would acquire at least 175 MW of preferred resources.
• Combined with a previously approved procurement plan, SoCal Ed will obtain up to 2,500 MW of new resources and SDG&E will get 1,000 MW.

Dive Insight:

The proposal from the California Public Utilities Commission would remake Southern California's power supply. The proposal brushes aside calls by environmental groups to wait several months before making a decision in case to see if planned transmission and revised energy usage information would lessen the need for new power plants. Also, some groups are calling for no new natural gas-fired power plants in the region because they are a source of greenhouse gas emissions.